Celebrating 25 years of stargazing and astronomy education at Penn State’s AstroFest – NorthcentralPA.com

University Park, Pa. The Penn State Eberly College of Science's popular AstroFest program is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, welcoming visitors to Davey Laboratory from July 10-13 as part of the 2024 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.

The four-night astronomy festival, running from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. each evening, will offer a variety of fun and educational activities for all ages, according to a news release. Visitors can pick up a program, get it stamped at activities, and return it for science-themed prizes.

"We're absolutely thrilled to be celebrating 25 years of this impactful community outreach program," said Randy McEntaffer, head of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, in the release. "Turning people on to the wonders of the universe is incredibly rewarding for us, and we hope it inspires them to continue to explore their curiosity through science and beyond."

On clear nights, visitors will be able to use the rooftop observatory telescopes including a brand-new instrument donated by Howard Schlegel, a 1971 alumnus with dual bachelor of science degrees in forest sciences and zoology to see up-close views of the moon, star clusters and glowing remnants of stellar death, according to the news release.

In addition to activities like the oobleck kiddie pool, this year's program will feature a talk on the upcoming rare nova explosion in the T Coronae Borealis system, which could become visible to the naked eye. Attendees will also be able to use the rooftop observatory telescopes and experience the newly upgraded planetarium shows.

The first AstroFest was organized in 1999 by three then-undergraduate students, Karen Knierman, Jane Rigby, and Nahks Tr'Ehnl. Over the past 25 years, the event has welcomed more than 45,000 community members, according to Penn State. Co-founder Tr'Ehnl is still affilliated with the university and continues to be part of the committee that plans the annual event.

For more information, visit the AstroFest website or contact the Penn State Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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Celebrating 25 years of stargazing and astronomy education at Penn State's AstroFest - NorthcentralPA.com